GSE's PS3 (5-8) INQ+ POC –8 -Use data to determine or predict the overall (net effect of multiple forces (e.g., friction, gravitational, magnetic) on the position, speed, and direction of motion of objects. Students demonstrate an understanding of force (e.g., friction, gravitational, magnetic) by… 8d making and testing predictions on how unbalanced forces acting on objects change speed or direction of motion, or both. 8e describing or graphically representing that the acceleration of an object is proportional to the force on the object and inversely proportional to the object’s mass.
Objectives
Students will be able to create an experimental procedure and data table to show the effect of mass and velocity will have on momentum.
Students will be able to state and answer lab questions on momentum which will be based of the findings from the experiment they have created.
Students will be able to write a hypothesis for their experiment in an If....then....because statement.
Students will show how they understand the formula p=mv
Description of Assignment
For this assessment the students really had to put their thinking caps on!! The students were broken up into groups of 4 and then received materials such as a ramp, cart, wooden blocks, meter sticks, tape, triple beam balance, and washers. As a class we then discussed the formula p=mv. The class was asked two ways in which they could increase the momentum (p) of the car. Students should give answers such as increasing the mass as well as increasing the velocity of the cart. After we discussed this with the class, we moved on to talking about potential experiments the class could conduct. As a class they decided it would be best if we put the wooden block at the bottom of the ramp, and then rammed the car into it and measured how far the block went. The students decided on ways in which they will be test how the velocities and the masses affect the distance the block moved. I then put a sample data table on the board which had four different variables. The students could use the data table which was on the board with their own unique variables, or create their own data table. This lab definitely gave the students some freedom which they were not use to. The students were graded on their lab out of 50 points. 4 points for a hypothesis written in an If....then...because statement, 10 points for their data table, 10 points for their procedure written out step by step, and then 26 points on various questions based on the lab. There are 13 questions worth 2 points each.
B. Formal Assessment
GSE's
PS3 (5-8) INQ+ POC –8 Use data to determine or predict the overall (net effect of multiple forces (e.g., friction, gravitational, magnetic) on the position, speed, and direction of motion of objects. Students demonstrate an understanding of force (e.g., friction, gravitational, magnetic) by…
8b recognizing that a force is a push or a pull. 8c explaining that changes in speed or direction of motion are caused by forces. 8d making and testing predictions on how unbalanced forces acting on objects change speed or direction of motion, or both.
8e describing or graphically representing that the acceleration of an object is proportional to the force on the object and inversely proportional to the object’s mass.
Objectives
Students will be able to answer multiple choice questions which will be based off the vocabulary words of the chapter.
Students will be able to look at a diagram and when given the mass and acceleration be able to state the force acting on the object.
Students will be able to properly use the formulas from the chapter. F=ma, m=F/a, a=F/m, and p=mv.
Students will be able to look at a chart and be able to describe how an objects momentum will change. They will be able to use two of the variables from mass, velocity and momentum to find the unknown variable.
Students will show ability to think critically and write extended response questions based on centripetal force and inertia.
Description of Assessment
For the formal assessment the students will be taking a test which will have many different kinds of questions in it. The students will have 10 multiple choice questions based off understanding the vocabulary worth 4 points each, 4 math questions on force which are worth 8 points each, 2 questions analyzing momentum data worth 8 points each, and 2 extended response questions on centripetal force and the other on inertia, worth 6 points each. The students have a variety of questions this way if they struggle on any one type of question it will not completely kill their grade. The test is based on what the students have been studying for the three weeks prior to it. They were given a review the day before the test, which they were able to ask as many questions as they wanted that they felt they were uncomfortable with from the chapter. Then I went over the chapter review with the students concentrating on the questions the majority of the students were struggling with. Also the day before the test I gave the students things to concentrate on when they are studying such as, vocabulary words, Newtons 3 laws, inertia, and centripetal force. The test was out of 100 points, and for Mrs Hannahs class tests are worth 35% of the students grades.
This Lab was graded out of 50 points. The reason it is an informal assessment is because the students were in groups, and it was not based on a wide range of material. The lab was focused on the concept of momentum. The lab was graded in the following fashion...
Hypothesis - Should be in an If.....then.....because statement, and be relavant to the lab which the students are completing. The hypothesis was worth 4 points. I took off 2 points if the students did not use the proper format for the hypothesis.
Procedure - This lab was an inquiry lab and the students had to come up with a logical procedure on their own. I gave them a preview to the lab and had them talk as a class about the proper method to write a procedure. The procedure was to be in a step by step format, and not a paragraph. I gave them minor guidelines such as the procedure should be atleast 6 steps. The students were given time in class to discuss and write their procedure once they were in groups. The procedure was worth 10 points. I took off 5 points if the procedure was too short or in the wrong format. I took off 10 points if there was no procedure written at all.
Data Table - The students were also in charge of creating their own variables and own data table. I gave them a sample data table to help lead them in the proper direction. Again the students worked on this as a group so the entire groups data table should be the same. The students now had their procedure written, and a data table with 4 variables. The students then tested out their experiment and recorded their data in the data tables. The data tables were worth 10 points. I took off 3 points if the students used the wrong units in the dat table, 5 points off if the data table was incomplete, and 10 points off if the data table was missing
Conclusion Questions - The following are the correct answers to the conclusion questions. Each question was worth 2 points. 1 point was taken off if the answer was not completely correct, and 2 points were taken off if the question was left blank.
1. Variables are the mass of the car and the velocity the car was moving at. 1. Increased mass will increase the distance the barrier moved. 2. Increased velocity increased the distance the barrier moved. 3. The barrier moved the furthest when the velocity and mass were the greatest. 4. The barrier moved the least when the velocity and mass were the smallest. 5. The higher the momentum of the car was, the more momentum was transfered into the barrier, and the further the barrier moved. 6. Student answer varies because it is based on their own hypothesis. 7. Mass and velocity are equivilant. 8. If an object is not moving, it's velocity and momentum are zero. 9. Student answer varies due to the error in their own experiments. 10. Student answer varies due to changes they will make to their own experiments. 11. Student answer varies based on any problem which they have found based off of their experiment. 12. Pool and billiards involves momentum because the when you hit the cue ball into another ball, the cue ball transfers its momentum to those other balls. So those other balls were still, but when the cue ball hits it it moves due to the transfer of momentum.
This test was graded out of 100 points. This is a formal assesment because it is based over a wide variety of topics, also the students were completing this test on their own. The test was graded in the following fashion...
Multiple choice - The multiple choice questions were based off the vocabulary words from the chapter. The students had to not only know the definitions of the words, but understand the concepts based off all of the vocabulary words. Multiple choice was worth a total of 40 points. There were 10 multiple choice questions worth 4 points each. 1. D 2. D 3. A 4. A 5. C 6. A 7. A 8. A 9. A 10. A
Math in Science - These are math problem questions as well as questions which pertain to Newtons Laws. There is one question based on Newtons second Law, and then three math questions based on the formula F=ma. Each question is worth 8 points for a total of 32 points.
11. Newtons Second Law states that the more force you put on an object, the faster its acceleration will be. Also it states that the more mass an object has the less its acceleration will be if the same amount of force is applied to an object with less mass. This shows the relationship between force, mass and acceleration.
12. F= ma F= (55 kg)(2.0 m/s/s) F= 110 N 13. F= ma F= (60 kg)(3.0 m/s/s) F= 180 N 14. a= F/m a= 85 N/ 55 kg a= 1.54 m/s/s
Analyzing Data- This section contains a table which tests the students knowledge on the concepts of momentum. There are 2 questions both worth 8 points, combining for a total of 16 points.
15. If the experiment is conducted at a lower velocity then the momentum would be lower. The momentum numbers in the table would also decrease.
16. 3630 kg x m/s - 3520 kg x m/s = 110 kg x m/s .... 110 kg x m/s / 2 = 55 kg x m/s .... 3520 kg x m/s + 55 kg x m/s = 3575 kg x m/s
The momentum if the tests were conducted at the same velocity with a mass of 1625 kg would be 3575 kg x m/s.
Extended Response - These questions were based on the concepts of centripetal force as well as inertia. These questions were extended response which meant that they had to write their answers in atleast one paragraph. At North Smithfield Middle School they implemented a format for writing extended responses called R-A-I-S-E. The students could use this format to write their extended responses. There was 2 extended response questions which were worth 6 points each.
17. If you are twirling a string around your head, when you let it go the string will go in a straight line in the direction where you released the string. Centripetal force is the force which keeps an object moving in a circle, and the force is always pointing towards the center. So once the string snaps or is released, their is no force keeping the ball moving in a circle around your head, so the ball is released in a straight line in the direction the ball was released. Newtons second law can also apply to the concept of centripetal force. In fact you can still use the formula F=(m)(a) to find the centripetal force of a ball being twirled around your head. (diagram optional)
18. You should always be wearing a seat belt because it creates an unbalanced force that stops the person in the car from moving forward if there is a sudden stop or crash. Inertia is the resistance of an object to change its motion. If a person is not wearing a seat belt then there is nothing to stop the person from continuing to move forward. This person will continue moving forward until it hits an unbalanced force which is the windshield. If the car speeds up then all the objects not strapped to the car will go backwards if they are staying still. (diagram optional)
IV. Analysis
A. Description of Class Context
Informal Assessment - The class context for the informal assessment was the students were creating an inquiry lab on momentum which was based off the final section in the Forces chapter of the unit. They were split up into groups of 4 and had the entire class period to use the materials they had to create an experiment which tested momentum. These students were able to apply their prior knowledge on forces and momentum to come up with many interesting variables. This was a great way to help the students understand that the more mass and velocity an object has, then the higher its momentum is going to be.
Formal Assessment- The students took their formal assessment at the very end of the chapter. The students have had 3 weeks of learning the chapter on forces which included multiple homework questions, labs, and inquiry activities. The students were also given two days in class to review the material. These reviews were teacher driven, because I wanted to be sure that the students knew what material to concentrate on for the test, as well as help giving the students some interesting study tips. The test took one 50 minute class period, and the class was 100% quiet while students were in possession of the test.
The above link brings you to the class data of the informal assessment which was an inquiry lab on momentum. The students worked well on the lab and the class average was a 42.7 out of 50. This data rounds out to around about an 85% for the class average. The classes were broken off into groups of four to complete the lab, and many of them finished a high percentage of the lab in class. This was part of the reason why the average grade was so high, like the always say, 4 minds are always better than 1. The data broke down in a fashion which I thought was fairly predictable. My period 5 class is taught last each day, so I was able to take all of the questions which I was asked throughout the day and help guide my period 5 class in the right direction. Also period 5 is the smallest class that I have throughout the day, so I am able to get around to all the groups more frequently to answer one on one questions. These are both reasons why I feel that period 5 had the highest lab grades for this inquiry momentum lab. The next two highest lab grades were from my period 2 and 3 class which were my students who are taking algebra in the 8th grade. They seem to grasp and get through the material a lot faster than the other classes.
While grading the labs I noticed many of the same mistakes. I thought that I made it extremely clear that the students must write their hypothesis in an "If...then...because" statement, but in many labs points were taken off for not using this format. Another frequent comment which I was writing on the students labs was to use the proper units in their data table. I know for a fact that all of the students used cm while doing their measurements, but many of them were writing things such as inches or meters in their data tables. Sometimes it is difficult to get the students to solely use the metric system in science, but it is something which I was trying to get them to get familiar with. The students must also learn to elaborate on their procedures. This was something which the students had time to complete in class, so as a group they should have been able to come up with a step by step procedure. Next year I will definitely have more specific directions and expectations given to the students for the written procedure.
Overall this lab went extremely well. Labs are an informal way of checking whether students are using certain science tools correctly such as the meter stick, or triple beam balance. Also a lab is a great way to observe what students are truly understanding the material. By walking around the room and seeing which students are participating and being task invested you can get a concept of which students understand the material strongly opposed to the students who are struggling with the concepts. I did give the students a grade on the lab and the reason for this is because if students feel that something is not going to be graded then more often than not they will not see the significance of the assignment. That is something that I want to preach to my students, that it is not always about that grade, but rather the understanding of the material. If you understand the material, your grade will be reflected in a positive fashion.
Examples of Student Work ( I couldn't figure out how to put multiple pages on a PDF so each page of the lab is on a separate PDF)
The above link brings you to a excel spreadsheet of the data from the chapter 2 test on forces. The students had a 50 minute period to complete this test and all of the students finished with in this time period. The students were informed about the test a week in advance and they completed a chapter review which was in the book. In class the day before the test we went over the review and gave the students some key concepts to concentrate on. The data is broken down by a class average, the averages of each period, and the averages of males vs females.
The class average for this test was a 80.24, which is a B- grade. This is a fairly decent average for a test, and I believe that the students really took away the key concepts of forces and many of their grades were reflected by this. The grades for each period fell very similar to the grades for the entire year. The periods 2 and 3 classes had the highest averages, and this is mainly because this chapter was on physics, and these two periods are the only ones who are taking algebra in the middle school. Periods 1, 4, and 5 hovered around a high 70, and this is your prototypical "average" score. Another statistic which is shown in the formal assessment link is the fact that males and females grades were pretty much the same. This was a good thing for me to see because it shows that I am not favoring either of the sexes more than the other. Once again I feel that this data was extremely predictable and was aligned with the class data over the course of the year.
While grading the test I did see many of the same mistakes, which means that next year these topics can be concentrated on a little bit more. For example the essay questions on the exam, many of the students did not match Newtons second law with the concept of centripetal force. Also many of the students on the inertia question did not mention the concepts of unbalanced forces. This may have been due to the wording of the question, but this is also something which can be changed on the following years test. Overall this test was extremely fair and consisted of a variety of questions that were geared towards all learners. A class average of a 80.24 is extremely good, but nothing is ever perfect so little tweaks here and there will definitely be made to all tests which I give to my students.
Examples of Student Work ( I was not sure on how to make a multiple page PDF from the scanner, so I put each page as its own PDF)
After reviewing the students labs, I chose those two students labs as an example of great work and an example of average work. The student who did the great lab clearly went over the top for me. This student chose to go home and type up the entire procedure as well as the conclusion questions. The procedure was extremely descriptive and the data table was flawless. The questions were all correctly answered and were in complete sentences. Also the hypothesis was in an If...Then... Because statement. All of these things allowed this student to get a perfect score on this lab. The student who had the average lab did a decent job on answering all the questions even though they were not all in complete sentences. The main portions of the lab where this student received points off were not labeling the units on the data table as well as having to vague of a procedure. This student definitely understood the key concepts of momentum which is the main goal of doing this inquiry lab.
B. Reflections from Formal Assessment
The grades of the sample work from the formal test assessment were a 100, 88 and a 79. The student who received the 100 had a flawless multiple choice question section, completed all the math problems showing all work, and completely answered the essay questions, hitting all of the key concepts of the chapter in the answers. This student did a fabulous job writing their essay in the correct format and properly answering every question which was asked of them. The student who received an 88 had a flawless multiple choice section, but had a little difficulty explaining Newtons second law. This student kind of explained Newtons first law, which showed that she did know the laws, she just confused which one was the second law. This student also got a little tricked up with the concept of momentum, by not showing work on problem 16 and not fully explaining the answers to this section. Also in the essay question the student ended up not fully explaining the concept of centripetal force. Overall this student did a great job on the test. Finally the student who received a 79 ,which was slightly below the class average, got 9 out of the 10 multiple choice questions correct which is a very good job. The student did most of the math correctly in the F=ma section, but this student also confused Newtons 1st and 2nd Laws up. The student then proceeded to not fully explain their answers in the momentum section which led me to believe that this student did not completely understand the formula p=mv. Finally on the essay questions this student once again mixed up Newton's 1st and 2nd law and also did not fully explain the concepts of inertia and wearing a seat belt in his final essay question.
VI. Conclusions
Overall I would say that both informal and formal assessment are necessary in running a successful classroom. The students should constantly be informally assessed whether it be giving little pop quizzes or even just asking the students questions aloud in class. Formal assessment is a way to see if the students have an understanding of a large amount of knowledge. Some students may be poor test takers which is a reason why as teachers we must have a proper balance between formal and informal assessment.
As a teacher I hope to work on my ability to give the students proper feedback. The students should be able to look at the test and understand why a question is marked wrong. This also holds true for the students who do extremely well on the test. It is important to give them words of encouragement to let them know that you are proud of all of the hard work that they have put in. For the students who are answering questions wrong it is important to also comment on some of the questions which they answer correctly. Positive feedback will build the students self confidence. It is just as important though to make sure that the students understand what it is that made them answer a question incorrectly. I don't believe in giving the students the correct answer if they got it wrong, but I do feel that the teacher should guide them in the right direction to find the correct answers. Overall feedback on informal or formal assessments is extremely important to students understanding of the material and success in your classroom.
Formal and Informal Assessment of Student Learning
Name: Anthony Silva
I. Assignment Description/Requirements
Formal Informal Assessments 2009
II. Description of Learning Goals
A. Informal Assessment
GSE'sPS3 (5-8) INQ+ POC –8 -Use data to determine or predict the overall (net effect of multiple forces (e.g., friction, gravitational, magnetic) on the position, speed, and direction of motion of objects.
Students demonstrate an understanding of force (e.g., friction, gravitational, magnetic) by…
8d making and testing predictions on how unbalanced forces acting on objects change speed or direction of motion, or both.
8e describing or graphically representing that the acceleration of an object is proportional to the force on the object and inversely proportional to the object’s mass.
Objectives
Description of Assignment
For this assessment the students really had to put their thinking caps on!! The students were broken up into groups of 4 and then received materials such as a ramp, cart, wooden blocks, meter sticks, tape, triple beam balance, and washers. As a class we then discussed the formula p=mv. The class was asked two ways in which they could increase the momentum (p) of the car. Students should give answers such as increasing the mass as well as increasing the velocity of the cart. After we discussed this with the class, we moved on to talking about potential experiments the class could conduct. As a class they decided it would be best if we put the wooden block at the bottom of the ramp, and then rammed the car into it and measured how far the block went. The students decided on ways in which they will be test how the velocities and the masses affect the distance the block moved. I then put a sample data table on the board which had four different variables. The students could use the data table which was on the board with their own unique variables, or create their own data table. This lab definitely gave the students some freedom which they were not use to. The students were graded on their lab out of 50 points. 4 points for a hypothesis written in an If....then...because statement, 10 points for their data table, 10 points for their procedure written out step by step, and then 26 points on various questions based on the lab. There are 13 questions worth 2 points each.
B. Formal Assessment
GSE's
PS3 (5-8) INQ+ POC –8 Use data to determine or predict the overall (net effect of multiple forces (e.g., friction, gravitational, magnetic) on the position, speed, and direction of motion of objects.
Students demonstrate an understanding of force (e.g., friction, gravitational, magnetic) by…
8b recognizing that a force is a push or a pull.
8c explaining that changes in speed or direction of motion are caused by forces.
8d making and testing predictions on how unbalanced forces acting on objects change speed or direction of motion, or both.
8e describing or graphically representing that the acceleration of an object is proportional to the force on the object and inversely proportional to the object’s mass.
Objectives
Description of Assessment
For the formal assessment the students will be taking a test which will have many different kinds of questions in it. The students will have 10 multiple choice questions based off understanding the vocabulary worth 4 points each, 4 math questions on force which are worth 8 points each, 2 questions analyzing momentum data worth 8 points each, and 2 extended response questions on centripetal force and the other on inertia, worth 6 points each. The students have a variety of questions this way if they struggle on any one type of question it will not completely kill their grade. The test is based on what the students have been studying for the three weeks prior to it. They were given a review the day before the test, which they were able to ask as many questions as they wanted that they felt they were uncomfortable with from the chapter. Then I went over the chapter review with the students concentrating on the questions the majority of the students were struggling with. Also the day before the test I gave the students things to concentrate on when they are studying such as, vocabulary words, Newtons 3 laws, inertia, and centripetal force. The test was out of 100 points, and for Mrs Hannahs class tests are worth 35% of the students grades.
III. Assessments
A. Description of Informal Assessment
This Lab was graded out of 50 points. The reason it is an informal assessment is because the students were in groups, and it was not based on a wide range of material. The lab was focused on the concept of momentum. The lab was graded in the following fashion...
Hypothesis - Should be in an If.....then.....because statement, and be relavant to the lab which the students are completing. The hypothesis was worth 4 points. I took off 2 points if the students did not use the proper format for the hypothesis.
Procedure - This lab was an inquiry lab and the students had to come up with a logical procedure on their own. I gave them a preview to the lab and had them talk as a class about the proper method to write a procedure. The procedure was to be in a step by step format, and not a paragraph. I gave them minor guidelines such as the procedure should be atleast 6 steps. The students were given time in class to discuss and write their procedure once they were in groups. The procedure was worth 10 points. I took off 5 points if the procedure was too short or in the wrong format. I took off 10 points if there was no procedure written at all.
Data Table - The students were also in charge of creating their own variables and own data table. I gave them a sample data table to help lead them in the proper direction. Again the students worked on this as a group so the entire groups data table should be the same. The students now had their procedure written, and a data table with 4 variables. The students then tested out their experiment and recorded their data in the data tables. The data tables were worth 10 points. I took off 3 points if the students used the wrong units in the dat table, 5 points off if the data table was incomplete, and 10 points off if the data table was missing
Conclusion Questions - The following are the correct answers to the conclusion questions. Each question was worth 2 points. 1 point was taken off if the answer was not completely correct, and 2 points were taken off if the question was left blank.
1. Variables are the mass of the car and the velocity the car was moving at.
1. Increased mass will increase the distance the barrier moved.
2. Increased velocity increased the distance the barrier moved.
3. The barrier moved the furthest when the velocity and mass were the greatest.
4. The barrier moved the least when the velocity and mass were the smallest.
5. The higher the momentum of the car was, the more momentum was transfered into the barrier, and the further the barrier moved.
6. Student answer varies because it is based on their own hypothesis.
7. Mass and velocity are equivilant.
8. If an object is not moving, it's velocity and momentum are zero.
9. Student answer varies due to the error in their own experiments.
10. Student answer varies due to changes they will make to their own experiments.
11. Student answer varies based on any problem which they have found based off of their experiment.
12. Pool and billiards involves momentum because the when you hit the cue ball into another ball, the cue ball transfers its momentum to those other balls. So those other balls were still, but when the cue ball hits it it moves due to the transfer of momentum.
B. Description of Formal Assessment
This test was graded out of 100 points. This is a formal assesment because it is based over a wide variety of topics, also the students were completing this test on their own. The test was graded in the following fashion...
Multiple choice - The multiple choice questions were based off the vocabulary words from the chapter. The students had to not only know the definitions of the words, but understand the concepts based off all of the vocabulary words. Multiple choice was worth a total of 40 points. There were 10 multiple choice questions worth 4 points each.
1. D 2. D 3. A 4. A 5. C 6. A 7. A 8. A 9. A 10. A
Math in Science - These are math problem questions as well as questions which pertain to Newtons Laws. There is one question based on Newtons second Law, and then three math questions based on the formula F=ma. Each question is worth 8 points for a total of 32 points.
11. Newtons Second Law states that the more force you put on an object, the faster its acceleration will be. Also it states that the more mass an object has the less its acceleration will be if the same amount of force is applied to an object with less mass. This shows the relationship between force, mass and acceleration.
12. F= ma F= (55 kg)(2.0 m/s/s) F= 110 N
13. F= ma F= (60 kg)(3.0 m/s/s) F= 180 N
14. a= F/m a= 85 N/ 55 kg a= 1.54 m/s/s
Analyzing Data- This section contains a table which tests the students knowledge on the concepts of momentum. There are 2 questions both worth 8 points, combining for a total of 16 points.
15. If the experiment is conducted at a lower velocity then the momentum would be lower. The momentum numbers in the table would also decrease.
16. 3630 kg x m/s - 3520 kg x m/s = 110 kg x m/s .... 110 kg x m/s / 2 = 55 kg x m/s .... 3520 kg x m/s + 55 kg x m/s = 3575 kg x m/s
The momentum if the tests were conducted at the same velocity with a mass of 1625 kg would be 3575 kg x m/s.
Extended Response - These questions were based on the concepts of centripetal force as well as inertia. These questions were extended response which meant that they had to write their answers in atleast one paragraph. At North Smithfield Middle School they implemented a format for writing extended responses called R-A-I-S-E. The students could use this format to write their extended responses. There was 2 extended response questions which were worth 6 points each.
17. If you are twirling a string around your head, when you let it go the string will go in a straight line in the direction where you released the string. Centripetal force is the force which keeps an object moving in a circle, and the force is always pointing towards the center. So once the string snaps or is released, their is no force keeping the ball moving in a circle around your head, so the ball is released in a straight line in the direction the ball was released. Newtons second law can also apply to the concept of centripetal force. In fact you can still use the formula F=(m)(a) to find the centripetal force of a ball being twirled around your head. (diagram optional)
18. You should always be wearing a seat belt because it creates an unbalanced force that stops the person in the car from moving forward if there is a sudden stop or crash. Inertia is the resistance of an object to change its motion. If a person is not wearing a seat belt then there is nothing to stop the person from continuing to move forward. This person will continue moving forward until it hits an unbalanced force which is the windshield. If the car speeds up then all the objects not strapped to the car will go backwards if they are staying still. (diagram optional)
IV. Analysis
A. Description of Class Context
Informal Assessment - The class context for the informal assessment was the students were creating an inquiry lab on momentum which was based off the final section in the Forces chapter of the unit. They were split up into groups of 4 and had the entire class period to use the materials they had to create an experiment which tested momentum. These students were able to apply their prior knowledge on forces and momentum to come up with many interesting variables. This was a great way to help the students understand that the more mass and velocity an object has, then the higher its momentum is going to be.Formal Assessment- The students took their formal assessment at the very end of the chapter. The students have had 3 weeks of learning the chapter on forces which included multiple homework questions, labs, and inquiry activities. The students were also given two days in class to review the material. These reviews were teacher driven, because I wanted to be sure that the students knew what material to concentrate on for the test, as well as help giving the students some interesting study tips. The test took one 50 minute class period, and the class was 100% quiet while students were in possession of the test.
B. Analysis of Informal Assessment
The above link brings you to the class data of the informal assessment which was an inquiry lab on momentum. The students worked well on the lab and the class average was a 42.7 out of 50. This data rounds out to around about an 85% for the class average. The classes were broken off into groups of four to complete the lab, and many of them finished a high percentage of the lab in class. This was part of the reason why the average grade was so high, like the always say, 4 minds are always better than 1. The data broke down in a fashion which I thought was fairly predictable. My period 5 class is taught last each day, so I was able to take all of the questions which I was asked throughout the day and help guide my period 5 class in the right direction. Also period 5 is the smallest class that I have throughout the day, so I am able to get around to all the groups more frequently to answer one on one questions. These are both reasons why I feel that period 5 had the highest lab grades for this inquiry momentum lab. The next two highest lab grades were from my period 2 and 3 class which were my students who are taking algebra in the 8th grade. They seem to grasp and get through the material a lot faster than the other classes.
While grading the labs I noticed many of the same mistakes. I thought that I made it extremely clear that the students must write their hypothesis in an "If...then...because" statement, but in many labs points were taken off for not using this format. Another frequent comment which I was writing on the students labs was to use the proper units in their data table. I know for a fact that all of the students used cm while doing their measurements, but many of them were writing things such as inches or meters in their data tables. Sometimes it is difficult to get the students to solely use the metric system in science, but it is something which I was trying to get them to get familiar with. The students must also learn to elaborate on their procedures. This was something which the students had time to complete in class, so as a group they should have been able to come up with a step by step procedure. Next year I will definitely have more specific directions and expectations given to the students for the written procedure.
Overall this lab went extremely well. Labs are an informal way of checking whether students are using certain science tools correctly such as the meter stick, or triple beam balance. Also a lab is a great way to observe what students are truly understanding the material. By walking around the room and seeing which students are participating and being task invested you can get a concept of which students understand the material strongly opposed to the students who are struggling with the concepts. I did give the students a grade on the lab and the reason for this is because if students feel that something is not going to be graded then more often than not they will not see the significance of the assignment. That is something that I want to preach to my students, that it is not always about that grade, but rather the understanding of the material. If you understand the material, your grade will be reflected in a positive fashion.
Examples of Student Work ( I couldn't figure out how to put multiple pages on a PDF so each page of the lab is on a separate PDF)
C. Analysis of Formal Assessment
The above link brings you to a excel spreadsheet of the data from the chapter 2 test on forces. The students had a 50 minute period to complete this test and all of the students finished with in this time period. The students were informed about the test a week in advance and they completed a chapter review which was in the book. In class the day before the test we went over the review and gave the students some key concepts to concentrate on. The data is broken down by a class average, the averages of each period, and the averages of males vs females.
The class average for this test was a 80.24, which is a B- grade. This is a fairly decent average for a test, and I believe that the students really took away the key concepts of forces and many of their grades were reflected by this. The grades for each period fell very similar to the grades for the entire year. The periods 2 and 3 classes had the highest averages, and this is mainly because this chapter was on physics, and these two periods are the only ones who are taking algebra in the middle school. Periods 1, 4, and 5 hovered around a high 70, and this is your prototypical "average" score. Another statistic which is shown in the formal assessment link is the fact that males and females grades were pretty much the same. This was a good thing for me to see because it shows that I am not favoring either of the sexes more than the other. Once again I feel that this data was extremely predictable and was aligned with the class data over the course of the year.
While grading the test I did see many of the same mistakes, which means that next year these topics can be concentrated on a little bit more. For example the essay questions on the exam, many of the students did not match Newtons second law with the concept of centripetal force. Also many of the students on the inertia question did not mention the concepts of unbalanced forces. This may have been due to the wording of the question, but this is also something which can be changed on the following years test. Overall this test was extremely fair and consisted of a variety of questions that were geared towards all learners. A class average of a 80.24 is extremely good, but nothing is ever perfect so little tweaks here and there will definitely be made to all tests which I give to my students.
Examples of Student Work ( I was not sure on how to make a multiple page PDF from the scanner, so I put each page as its own PDF)
V. Commentary / Reflection
A. Reflections from Informal Assessment
After reviewing the students labs, I chose those two students labs as an example of great work and an example of average work. The student who did the great lab clearly went over the top for me. This student chose to go home and type up the entire procedure as well as the conclusion questions. The procedure was extremely descriptive and the data table was flawless. The questions were all correctly answered and were in complete sentences. Also the hypothesis was in an If...Then... Because statement. All of these things allowed this student to get a perfect score on this lab. The student who had the average lab did a decent job on answering all the questions even though they were not all in complete sentences. The main portions of the lab where this student received points off were not labeling the units on the data table as well as having to vague of a procedure. This student definitely understood the key concepts of momentum which is the main goal of doing this inquiry lab.B. Reflections from Formal Assessment
The grades of the sample work from the formal test assessment were a 100, 88 and a 79. The student who received the 100 had a flawless multiple choice question section, completed all the math problems showing all work, and completely answered the essay questions, hitting all of the key concepts of the chapter in the answers. This student did a fabulous job writing their essay in the correct format and properly answering every question which was asked of them. The student who received an 88 had a flawless multiple choice section, but had a little difficulty explaining Newtons second law. This student kind of explained Newtons first law, which showed that she did know the laws, she just confused which one was the second law. This student also got a little tricked up with the concept of momentum, by not showing work on problem 16 and not fully explaining the answers to this section. Also in the essay question the student ended up not fully explaining the concept of centripetal force. Overall this student did a great job on the test. Finally the student who received a 79 ,which was slightly below the class average, got 9 out of the 10 multiple choice questions correct which is a very good job. The student did most of the math correctly in the F=ma section, but this student also confused Newtons 1st and 2nd Laws up. The student then proceeded to not fully explain their answers in the momentum section which led me to believe that this student did not completely understand the formula p=mv. Finally on the essay questions this student once again mixed up Newton's 1st and 2nd law and also did not fully explain the concepts of inertia and wearing a seat belt in his final essay question.VI. Conclusions
Overall I would say that both informal and formal assessment are necessary in running a successful classroom. The students should constantly be informally assessed whether it be giving little pop quizzes or even just asking the students questions aloud in class. Formal assessment is a way to see if the students have an understanding of a large amount of knowledge. Some students may be poor test takers which is a reason why as teachers we must have a proper balance between formal and informal assessment.As a teacher I hope to work on my ability to give the students proper feedback. The students should be able to look at the test and understand why a question is marked wrong. This also holds true for the students who do extremely well on the test. It is important to give them words of encouragement to let them know that you are proud of all of the hard work that they have put in. For the students who are answering questions wrong it is important to also comment on some of the questions which they answer correctly. Positive feedback will build the students self confidence. It is just as important though to make sure that the students understand what it is that made them answer a question incorrectly. I don't believe in giving the students the correct answer if they got it wrong, but I do feel that the teacher should guide them in the right direction to find the correct answers. Overall feedback on informal or formal assessments is extremely important to students understanding of the material and success in your classroom.
Jay's Feedback on Anthonys Assessment Project